


A Different Kind of Shepherd

by Readerboy



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Gen, Independent War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-23 21:49:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20234623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Readerboy/pseuds/Readerboy
Summary: Strange, how a life can turn out so differently than was expected.....





	A Different Kind of Shepherd

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Joss Whedon](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Joss+Whedon).

Sorry, Joss, but it's your own fault that you created a 'Verse, and the people in it, that millions of people care about!

The battlefield was a disaster, as battlefields are prone to be, and the stench and piteous wailing of the dead and dying were no different than that of the multitude of battlefields in mankind's history.

The figure walked among the wounded, giving what aid he could, with a few consoling words to those too far gone.  
This war, the Third Independent War, was particularly devastating; no planet in human space had been spared, Rim, Core, it didn’t matter- there were NO neutral planets.

The figure in Shepherd’s robes continued to walk among the devastation, without missing a beat. Was I really this young once? Did I REALLY think I could live a life of violence with no repercussions? The figure asked himself. It seemed so long ago, yet, it was as though it vanished in a blink of an eye.  
Eventually, the Shepherd came to the doorway of the command post of the Independent command for Miranda. Inside the hot dwelling, sitting at a desk that was in remarkably good condition, considering the recent wear, was a man with sweat-dampened gray hair, shot through with the brown of his younger days.  
The man at the desk looked up when the Shepherd walked in, and through guarded eyes, eyes that had seen too many good people die in the defense of an ideal, and said “Well, Shepherd, been a while….” Commander Malcolm Reynolds said, standing up.  
“How’ve you been, Mal?” replied the Shepherd, an air of comfortable familiarity surrounding him. Reynolds replied, “You know how it is, getting through the days one at a time.”  
“And Inara? How is she holding up?”  
“’Nara died about some fifteen years ago, so she couldn’t see the death of two of our sons in this war; don’t know the whereabouts of Warwick, our third. I’m thinkin’ that was some kind of mercy, that.” The Shepherd’s face clouded up. “I didn’t know that- little Emma Washburne didn’t say anything regarding her Aunt Inara when I saw her last.”  
“Emma’s ain’t so little, Shepherd, she had her own troops to train and lead.”  
“And the Tams?” he said, ignoring the minor emphasis on the title. He’ll never really get over his negative attitude on clerics, or the Almighty…  
“Well, Kaylee’s still helpin’ to raise her and Simon’s grandkids on Paquin; one of their sons, Gabriel, been doin’ a better than excellent job as a platoon medic, don’t rightly know what happened to Derrial.”  
A silence ensued, each immersed in their own memories of old friend’s.  
“Mal, did anything change for you in this conflict?” Reynolds stared at the tall figure. “Conflict? Is that what it’s called? Sounds so much cleaner than war, ”  
“War, battle, skirmish- it’s all about what goes on in your heart, Mal, trust me, I KNOW what I’m talking about.”  
“Reckon you do, at that- y’know, I never woulda bet that I’d see you in those robes”  
“Well, Mal, people change, and grow.”  
Reynolds coughed, and wiped sweat from his forehead. “I’m just saying, Shepherd, that there are things out of the ordinary that a person might accept without too much eye-battin’, and then, there are things that a fella wouldn’t bet his last credit chip on, dong le-mah? I’m thinkin’, Book would have had himself no end of merriment on hearin’ this conversation.”  
“He might’ve, at that. Still and all, Mal, I do hope you find some measure of peace. Having said that, I have others that need to be seen to.”  
“Understood. Good bye, Jayne…..


End file.
